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Chapter One

Norman, the sleek, black-and-white cat, sat expectantly on the kitchen table across from Catherine Travis’s chair Her mother would be horrified to see a cat on the table, but Catherine ht Her parents were in China, enjoying each other’s company, while she was stuck here alone in Little Rock, Arkansas Since Norman was the only one available on this Septe to help Catherine celebrate her thirtieth birthday, he could pretty much sit anywhere he liked, as far as she was concerned

He watched intently as she lit the single candle topping a chocolate-frosted cupcake She sat back to ad the way it reflected in Norolden eyes She couldn’t help but smile at his expression as he looked froain

“You look as though you know exactly e’re doing,” she remarked to the nine-month-old cat who had made his home with her for the past sixthe happy birthday song to me now”

Norly The sound was actually rather musical, Catherine decided “Thank you That was lovely”

She leaned forward to blow out the candle but then stopped herself “Oh, wait If I’ht I’m supposed to make a wish before I blow out the candle, aren’t I?”

Nor his tail around his white feet, he sat up straighter, looking at her encouragingly Although she knew darned well that he aiting for the cat treat she was holding for hied herself with the pretense that he was actually interested in what she had to say

“Okay, here’s my wish I wish I had someone hom to share occasions like this Birthdays, holidays, other special events As much as I appreciate your companionship, Normie, it would be nice to have a human male in my life”

She blew out the candle She and Norman both watched the thin line of white smoke drift from the blackened wick to dissipate above the table Only then did she set the salo, pal Enjoy”

He sniffed at the treat, took an experian to nibble delicately, his tail twitching with pleasure Catherine peeled the paper fro the rich chocolate frosting dissolve slowly on her tongue “Mmm Good”

Norht have been agreement

She reached out to stroke his silky back, and he arched into her touch If only people were as easy to understand as her cat, she mused wistfully Men, especially

She had a couple of advanced degrees, was quite successful in her career as a bioood friends and a nice apart As far as she knew, there were no classes in flirtation, and she had never picked up the talent in her science labs

She had been focused so single-mindedly on her education and her career that she hadhow to play She just wasn’t a “fun” person, she thought with a sigh The onlythe past couple of years had bored her half-senseless She seemed destined to be alone with her work and her cat

To distract herself fro self-pity, she reached for the small stack of presents she h